


Being Human (And Cat)

by JuneLuxray



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Cat!Akira, Fluff, Gen, Human!Morgana, Semi-crackfic?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-30
Updated: 2018-06-06
Packaged: 2018-12-08 23:03:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11656533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JuneLuxray/pseuds/JuneLuxray
Summary: When Igor presents an opportunity for Morgana to finally become human, it requires Ren to gain the ability to become a cat.





	1. Where There's a Velvet Room, There's a Way

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place after the main game, about a year later, in which Ren's graduated high school and moved back to Tokyo for university. I thought about posting this as a stand-alone chapter in my one-shot gallery, but it's going to get too big for the gallery quickly. I mostly just wanted to write Human!Morgana and Cat!Ren shenanigans. Contains a brief reference to this chapter from my one-shot gallery: http://archiveofourown.org/works/11180643/chapters/25034055
> 
> Listen, this fic is going to be one giant crackfic all the way through. Enjoy...?

Ren had intended to visit the Velvet Room when he returned to Tokyo. He couldn't really say why other than he was curious and nostalgic. Usually, he took the door outside of the Airsoft shop in Shibuya, and made for it after he visited Iwai and Kaoru and promised to go out to dinner with them in a few days. Recently, the two had their cognition changed and able to hear Morgana, as with the few others who remembered the near-end of the world.   
  
Visiting the Velvet Room door the first time after that event had led to Lavenza looking between Ren and Morgana before asking them to come back another day while she consulted with her master. Finally, at the second visit, Morgana popped up over Ren's shoulder and stared at Lavenza, wide-eyed. "Lavenza?"  
  
"Morgana." she greeted with a curt bow. "I have made arrangements with my master, who wishes to speak to you both. Thus, you can see myself and the Velvet Room in the real world, like Ren. Come, we would speak with you." she urged, waving them along as the door flung open. Morgana didn't hesitate for even a second before he jumped out of Ren's bag and into the Velvet Room, and the Trickster followed with a quirked eyebrow.  
  
The Velvet Room was distinctly different, Ren noted. Gone was the cells, gone was the chains, gone was his prisoner attire as he walked into a circular room with a cobblestone floor and calm blue walls. In the center was Igor, smiling as he nodded at them. Morgana trotted forward, bowing to Igor as he approached-- in the more cartoonish cat form he took in the Metaverse. Ren looked down at himself and found his regular clothes: jeans and a simple black jacket over a white shirt.   
  
"Ah, Trickster and Morgana! It's a pleasure to see you two again." Igor greeted cheerfully. Morgana stood straight and smiled.  
  
"The same to you, Master. How can we help you?"  
  
"You have it partially correct, Morgana, but it is I who wants to help you." Igor hummed. "You have learned so much about humanity and what it is to be human, but have yet to actually live it... do you still desire to become a human?"  
  
Morgana gasped, and Ren could practically see the stars in his eyes. "Y- yes! Is there a way?!"  
  
"There is, indeed." Igor confirmed with a short nod. "I am offering you this as a reward for your sacrifice and steadfast loyalty to the Trickster. There is a ritual that will impart humanity unto you, but it will require the Trickster's aid."  
  
Morgana spun on his heel, looking up to Ren with wide, hopeful eyes. "Ren?! You'll help, won't you?!"  
  
Ren laughed and nodded. "Of course I will. It's the least I can do in return for all you've done." He looked up to Igor. "What do I need to do?"  
  
Igor hummed idly. "You will have to copy and share the essence of your humanity with Morgana. But in order for it to work, Morgana must share what he is with you as well. In other words... you'll both gain the ability to change between cat and human."  
  
Morgana paused. He looked between Ren, who had gone silent and slightly pale, and Igor, who sat calmly and smiled as he always did. Morgana hummed nervously before he spoke. "I... I mean, I'd be willing to do it. It'd be my dream come true, but..." He turned fully to Ren. "We'd basically become werecats." He sighed and looked away. "That's... a big change. For you, I mean."  
  
"It's not as drastic as it sounds," Lavenza cut it as she walked forward and stood beside Igor's desk, "you'd just gain the ability to change forms, both of you. You won't be obligated, ever, to forcefully change or be stuck in one form or the other. That is, save for the initial transformation. You'll both be stuck as a human and a cat respectively for about twenty-four hours before becoming able to change back and forth with ease."  
  
Ren looked down at Morgana's hopeful eyes, then at Igor, then at Lavenza, and back to Morgana again. He sucked in a deep breath, closed his eyes, and looked back at Igor, nodding his head soberly. "I'll do it. For Morgana. I just need a day to talk to the others so they're aware of the situation so they can... take care of us in the initial twenty-four hours if we need it."  
  
"Ren...!" Morgana squealed, beaming at him. "You're... you're the best! You're a true friend!"  
  
"So be it." Igor said calmly. "I will perform the ritual tomorrow when you come by. It involves a bit of blood-- just a cut to a finger on both of you-- and a bit of magic on my part. It won't hurt, but it will feel quite strange."  
  
As they left, Ren was already reaching for his phone as Morgana jumped to his shoulder to look at him type on the group chat.  
  
_Guys. We need to hold a meeting as soon as possible in Leblanc._  
  
All gathered within the hour, and Sojiro quickly closed shop for the occasion, and all stared as they told the story and the situation. Sojiro had been first to speak after a long, awkward silence.  
  
"Ren. You're sure you want to do this?" he asked warily. Ren nodded, slowly.  
  
"Yes. Morgana has done more for us than we can ever properly thank him for. If I can do this for him, it's worth it."  
  
Morgana stared up at Ren with wide, quivering eyes threatening to spill tears as he sat beside him at the bar. Sojiro was standing before the two of them, scratching the back of his neck, and gawking at the two. The other former Phantom Thieves sat around Leblanc, mostly in booths, as they stared at their leader and Morgana. Haru giggled.  
  
"I honestly don't see the downside for you, Ren... once you're past the initial day, you can turn into a cat whenever you want, and so can Morgana. It sounds like a blessing to me!" She shrugged. "I'll do it if you don't want to."  
  
"Igor said he needed my help... and I'm the only one who can see the Velvet Room most of the time..." Ren said hesitantly. Ryuji shrugged.  
  
"It's... it's weird, but it's not like we haven't experienced weirder."  
  
Ann shrugged. "It's just twenty-four hours, right? And if Ren doesn't want to after, he doesn't  _have_  to ever be a cat..."  
  
"Why don't we just hang out nearby and take the two of you home when it's over?" Makoto suggested dryly. "I'm in favor of the plan. Morgana has done so much for us, and it's just another useful power for Ren."  
  
Futaba giggled and nodded. "I'll be Ren is the cutest, fluffiest cat there ever was! Besides, he already acts like one."  
  
"Indeed," Yusuke agreed calmly, "finally, his reflection will show what's truly inside. I agree with Haru; I see no downside. I'll have to paint the two of you in two separate portraits, one of Morgana as a human and Ren as a cat, and one of Morgana as a cat and Ren as a human." He beamed. "It will be a masterpiece!"  
  
Sojiro sighed and crossed his arms. "I guess this is the plan. I'll close up shop tomorrow around noon. We don't need anyone else getting involved in this mess until everything is over."  
  
With that, the group adjourned for the day, and Morgana and Ren were left in the room above Leblanc. Ren laid upon his bed, looking up at the ceiling in silence until Morgana hopped over to him, jumping on his chest to meet his eyes. Morgana's eyes still glittered with excitement and hope, a contrast to Ren's gaze of apprehension. Upon seeing his eyes, Morgana deflated slightly and frowned. "I... I hope I'm not asking too much..."  
  
"You're not." Ren reassured. "I'm just... thinking."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"About..." He sighed. "Too much. Listen, everything's going to be okay. You'll get your wish tomorrow."  
  
Morgana's tail flickered. "I sure will. And listen, I'll teach you everything there is to know about being a cat! And you'll teach me anything I don't already know about being human! It'll be great!"  
  
Ren scoffed. "What is there about being a cat that I don't already know?"  
  
"You don't even know, alright? You can't know until you experience it for yourself." Morgana giggled. "Don't worry! When I become human for the first time... sushi will be on me for a change!" He sighed, blissfully. "I wonder what I'll do first? Visit a movie theater? A restaurant? Dome Town? School?" He beamed. "Oh! And I can ask Lady Ann to come with me!"

"I think everyone's going to want to come with you, just to keep an eye on you." Ren said with a shrug and a wry smile. "So don't worry; 'Lady Ann' will be there."

Morgana sighed. "I suppose it makes sense, everyone wanting to look out for me in my first hours as a human... but what about you? What do you want to do?"

Ren scoffed. "Probably hide up here all day. You can go on without me."

"And leave you out?!" the cat asked incredulously. "No way! I'll just carry you, like you've carried me all this time! You'll see!"

The young man did not reply. He sighed and looked back up at the ceiling, carrying his anxiety inside. _What if I can't turn back? No, Igor promised, and I believe him... What if I start doing cat things? The others claim I already do... What if someone outside our group finds out? I guess that'd be okay if they're a confidant, but anyone else... What if no one can hear me talk like we hear Morgana talk? What if Morgana doesn't end up liking being human? What will it feel like? The ritual? Being a cat? How will Morgana feel?_

_...What's really going to happen?_

He glanced over at Morgana, who had begun to snooze, a smile on his face as he delved into wonderful dreams. Ren sighed, quietly, and smiled in spite of himself.

_It's going to be okay. This is for you, Morgana..._


	2. The Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morgana finally gets his wish.

Ren felt his gut wrench nervously as they approached the door to the Velvet Room. Morgana was shaking on his shoulder, though the look on his face was one of sheer excitement. Behind him were his former party members, gawking at the Velvet Room door and Lavenza. Ren only faintly noticed as Ryuji spoke, between his shaking, his cold blood, and clammy, sweaty hands.  
  
"Why can we see you guys today?" his friend questioned.  
  
"We need them, body and all, to enter the Velvet Room, and we'll send them out when we're done. We're going to need you all to escort them home afterwards. They'll likely be unconscious for the next few hours."  
  
"Unconscious...?" Ren questioned. Lavenza nodded.  
  
"Yes. The ritual itself will take a lot out of both of you, but it will be painless, if not strange."  
  
"This is it," Morgana breathed, eyes glittering, "my humanity..." He turned to look at Ren only to frown and deflate. Ren winced and spoke before he could.  
  
"I'm going to do it. I'm just a bit nervous. That's all."  
  
"More like a lot nervous. You kept shaking on the train." Ann cut in. She sighed and shook her head. "Are you sure you're up for this...?"  
  
"Yes." Ren replied resolutely, nodding. "Enough talk. Let's get this done with before I lose my nerve."  
  
All of them frowned nervously at him, but no one moved to voice concerns further. Makoto sighed. "Alright. We'll be waiting here, and we'll carry you both back to Leblanc." She looked to Lavenza. "How long do you expect this to take?"  
  
"Not more than a few moments." She waved her hand, and the door flung open. "Come," she beckoned, waving inside, "my master is waiting."  
  
Morgana jumped out of the bag and into the door while Ren turned and looked back at his party, who all stared back at him. Yusuke and Haru proudly nodded at him to go, Ryuji and Ann stared, twitching and frowning nervously, Futaba stood patiently, hands behind her back as she looked up at him, and Makoto held her hands in front of her, trying her best to give a reassuring smile.  
  
He forced a smile back and followed Lavenza into the Velvet Room. He inhaled deeply as he found himself in the same blue room, following Lavenza to Igor's desk as the his footsteps echoed against the cobblestone floor. Morgana was perched on Igor's desk, paw already out and slowly bleeding from a small incision made by Igor.   
  
Ren had barely any time to react as he approached the desk before Igor took his wrist and made a small cut on his index finger. He winced and almost recoiled, had Lavenza not walked forward and pushed the paw and finger together. He caught only the briefest of sparks from Igor's hand before the blue flames that brought their Persona transformations swarmed the two. Ren let out a gasp as he felt his entire body go completely numb, and his eyes met Morgana's, who stared just as wide-eyed at him.  
  
"J- Jo... ker... I..."  
  
Ren thought he saw the fur upon Morgana begin to pull back into a very thick mop of messy black hair on his head, and his feline eyes turn into clear blue human eyes before darkness overtook him.

* * *

  
He heard gentle murmurs as he returned to his senses, and felt... different.  
  
He was keenly aware of the fact his fingers were not fingers, and his skin was much warmer. He was aware his legs and arms were in positions not befitting that of a human, and he was aware that he suddenly gained the ability to twitch his ears-- and a tail, which he experimentally wagged and found it easier than he expected.   
  
He smelled the air so much more intensely than before, and it almost overpowered him. He smelled the particular scent of himself like never before, as well as Makoto as he felt her hand-- much larger than he remembered-- run over his back slowly and calmly. He couldn't control the purring, much to his dismay, as she did so. Makoto herself smelled faintly of citrus, a result of her shampoo, and it pleasantly mingled with the intense smell of curry and coffee in the air. He even detected the deodorant on Ryuji, the smell of floral perfume on Ann, soil and roses on Haru, paint on Yusuke, and coffee and curry from three people-- Sojiro, Futaba, and...  
  
"He's waking up!"  
  
"He's purring a lot..."  
  
"Ren?"  
  
Ren moaned, slowly, as he pulled his head up and blinked slowly at the group around him. All gawked at him, turning their attention away from Morgana. He reached a paw up to clutch his head, but found no such luck as his fingers-- _toes_ didn't reach out and cover his scalp like he was used to.  
  
"That's not going to work, unfortunately. You don't quite have fingers anymore."   
  
He turned towards Morgana's voice and stopped short as he took him in. At the bar, seated beside Futaba and before a wide-eyed Sojiro, was a young boy, no older than Shinya, with a head of black hair even fluffier than Ren's in human form. His eyes, blue and bright and wide, took him in, as a distinctly cat-like smile graced his face. The boy wore a yellow bandanna around his neck with a t-shirt a size too large for him, and shorts that hung a bit too low.  
  
"...Mona?" he questioned aloud, and Morgana nodded. Sojiro let out a sigh of relief and ran a hand over his forehead.  
  
"Oh, good, we can hear him talk. I was worried we wouldn't be able to." He looked back at him with a frown and quirked eyebrows. "Are you, uh... are you feeling okay... Ren?"  
  
The young man sighed and nodded. "Yes, it's me. Looks like the ritual was a success."  
  
"And how!" Morgana squealed in delight. "This is a dream come true, and I have to thank you for it, Ren!" He shrugged. "Well, I wish I had come out older, but I'll take this, too. It's been harder to operate fingers and human feet than I imagined. I'm getting the hang of it, though. Soon, I'll be able to go out into the world as a capable human! First, getting enrolled in school, and..."  
  
"Slow down," Sojiro sighed, "you can't really do anything until I get your ID and registration done. I had to call in favors with people I used to work with to get you citizenship and adoption papers. I'll send you to elementary school as soon as this is all sorted out."  
  
" _Elementary school?!_ " Morgana protested, frowning. "I'm-- I'm  _beyond_  that! I'm at least ready for high school!"  
  
"Tell that to the government." Sojiro scoffed. "Besides, if you do well enough, they'll let you skip grades. Just take it easy; don't rush through life. You should be grateful you came out as a kid, not an adult."  
  
Ryuji snickered. "You're gonna regret wanting to go to school. Trust me."  
  
"Will not."  
  
"Will too!"  
  
Ann sighed and rolled her eyes at the two before turning her gaze to Ren and softening. She giggled. "And _you_... you're SO cute!"  
  
Ren blinked. "What...?"  
  
Makoto giggled as she looked down at him and stroked a hand over his head. He purred, again, and growled as he did so. "Damn it! Why can't I stop purring?!"  
  
"You can't help it. Don't sweat it, it just makes you cuter." Morgana reassured. Ren grumbled and hopped off Makoto's lap, intending to scurry to the bathroom to look in the mirror. He crashed to the ground and groaned, wincing as he tried to stand. He slowly stood on all fours, shaking like a newborn fawn, as he tried to balance.   
  
He pushed himself up, trying to stand on twos, but only found it even more difficult to stay upright with his new anatomy. He yelped as he fell flat on his back, and he groaned again loudly as the others gathered around him. He stared up at all of the faces that stared down at him, and he was certain he'd be blushing if fur didn't cover his face.  
  
"That was... a good attempt." Yusuke said reassuringly. "Don't worry, you'll get the hang of walking on all fours."  
  
"You're lucky, Mona," Ryuji scoffed, "you already could walk on twos in the Metaverse." He put his hands around Ren and lifted his best friend up, meeting his eyes at his level. "Man, you're a fluffy mess! Where were you trying to go?"  
  
"Bathroom," Ren grunted, "mirror."  
  
"Alright."   
  
Ryuji nodded and carefully turned him around to face forward and walked forward, holding him up awkwardly under the arms, but Ren didn't protest. He heard the others following, and it was only a moment before Ryuji held Ren before the mirror, revealing his new form to himself.  
  
He was a particularly fluffy cat and black as night, with long whiskers to boot. He wiggled his toes as he held them up, revealing dark gray toes and pads on his feet. His dark gray eyes, now feline in nature, stared back at him. His tail was long and slowly swinging back and forth as he tried to move it. His ears were large and somewhat rounded at the top, giving a softer look.   
  
"You're just the  _cutest thing!_ " Haru gushed as she stole Ren away from Ryuji, who pouted at her. She angled and held him like one would hold a baby, and he was distinctly more comfortable in said position. The moment didn't last long, though, before Futaba jumped up and snatched him, darting out of the bathroom with the others on her heels as she held up Ren like Simba, presenting him to her father, who just sighed and stared.  
  
"I have Kitty Ren, Sojiro! Fear his adorable little toe beans!"  
  
"Oh, come on, you're torturing the kid. Put him down." Sojiro ordered. Futaba pouted and looked down at Ren.   
  
"You don't mind, do you?"  
  
Ren hesitated, and finally she sighed and set him down, when he began to stumble again as he tried to stand. He gave up and settled for pushing his feet under his body as he lied down, ears flickering in displeasure. Futaba and Haru squealed and pulled out their phones, drawing a hiss from Ren as he tried to stand again. Futaba pouted again. "Do the cat loaf thing again!"  
  
"Guys, please. Enough. I'm a human. Don't expect to see me in cat form much at all once the twenty-four hours are up." he warned as he shakily tried to step forward towards the stairs. His legs shook, and it took great effort to stand as he moved. "I... can do this... I just need practice..."  
  
"Déjà vu... I'm getting flashbacks to when Morgana insisted he was human." Ryuji scoffed. "Take it easy, man. You'll turn back eventually."  
  
"Not soon enough." Ren grouched. "I'm seeing and hearing and feeling-- hell, _smelling_ too much at once. It's giving me a headache and I can't even reach up to massage my own head!"  
  
Morgana winced and sighed. "I... I'm sorry, Ren. I know it's a lot to handle all at once, but you'll get it under control. Being a cat's not so bad."  
  
Ren looked up as Makoto reached down, gently picked him up, and returned to the booth seat. Her hand settled over his head, and her fingers slowly began to massage his head. His eyelids drooped and he began to purr again, against his will. Makoto giggled as he looked up at her sheepishly. "Don't worry; just try to relax today. You've been through a lot, and you can practice walking later. For now... let us take care of you, for once."  
  
Finally, the young man relinquished a sigh and nodded. "Okay. Thanks, guys."  
  
"No, thank  _you_." Morgana said proudly. "I don't have the words to properly thank you..."  
  
There was a pause before Ren spoke again. "...Where did you get your clothes?"  
  
Morgana glanced down at himself and shrugged. "What, these?"  
  
"Iwai gave him Kaoru's hand-me-downs." Ryuji clarified, snickering and grinning. "You both came out butt-naked, so we had to explain the situation to them because we can't take a naked kid back on the train with us. When you turn back, you're going to be naked again."

"You already accidentally flashed everyone a few times on the way back because you kept rolling on your back." Makoto said with a sigh. "At least Lavenza gave us your clothes back."   
  
"Iwai-san says he hopes you feel better-- and human-- soon!" Haru said, chipper. Ren moaned, mortified, and ducked his head in his legs. It was going to be a long twenty-four hours.


	3. After the Ritual

"So, let me see if I have this straight," Iwai intoned, eyes blank as he stared, "the kid turned into a cat so the cat could be a human?"  
  
"Yeah, basically." Ryuji said bluntly. "Can you help us? We can't take a nude kid on the train..."  
  
Iwai continued to stare back and forth for a long time at the unconscious young boy in Ryuji's arms wrapped in his purple jacket and the fluffy black cat in Haru's arms as the two stood side-by-side, utterly serious. The rest of the Phantom Thieves hung behind them, staring back at Iwai across his counter.  
  
"You'll have to pardon the sudden request, sir," Makoto finally spoke, "I understand this must be quite strange, but we didn't really account for this happening, and Ren asked us not to tell anyone outside of our group."  
  
"'Quite strange?' Heh. Understatement of the day..." Iwai shook his head, pulling at the brim of his hat as he finally looked away, "Fuck, kids, what have you gotten yourselves into?" He looked at the sleeping cat again, frowning. "He'll turn back in twenty-four hours?"  
  
"Correct." Yusuke replied calmly. "After that point, he will be able to change himself at will between cat and human form, same as Morgana."   
  
"You could say that they're werecats!" Haru exclaimed excitedly. "They're both so cute..."  
  
After another long silence, Iwai groaned. "What did we say about weird supernatural shit, kids?" He sighed. "Come into the back with me for some privacy while I get some of Kaoru's hand-me-downs."  
  
"You believe us, then?" Ann questioned, and Iwai shook his head as he stood up.   
  
"Are you seriously asking me that after all that happened?"  
  
"... Touché." Yusuke concurred.  
  
A soft murmuring came from Ren, and all froze in place as all eyes fell on him. He shifted in Haru's arms slowly, letting out a soft moan. " _... Numb... Mona..._ "   
  
Iwai blinked. "Did... he just...?"  
  
"Good, he can still talk." Makoto said, relaxing back as Ren settled in his stupor. "Or perhaps it's because we've all heard him talk, so we understand him. Not unlike what happened with Morgana."  
  
The shop owner cursed under his breath and shook his head, pulling down the brim of his hat. "Shit. That's really him, huh?" He sighed. "He's out of his damned mind." He tossed the keys at Yusuke, who caught them deftly and turned to lock the storefront. Within moments, everyone was in the back and waiting as calmly as they could manage while Iwai was out. All eyes shifted back and forth between Morgana and Ren silently until Ren stirred again, let out a soft meow, and turned on his back in Haru's arms, legs splayed open. There were a few scandalized cries and an  _aww_  from Haru as Ren slumbered.   
  
"He did it again!" Ryuji groaned, averting his eyes. "Dude! Put your junk away!"  
  
"He's rolling over and exposing his stomach because he feels safe and comfortable with us," Haru said cheerfully as Makoto sighed and carefully turned Ren back on his stomach, "it's a compliment."  
  
Ryuji looked upon Ren as Makoto finished, shaking his head. "That's... actually kind of..." He sighed guiltily. "I feel a little bad now for telling him to put his cat balls away..."   
  
"So flashing equals trust?" Futaba questioned. She snickered. " _Maaan_ , that's weird."  
  
"You barely notice unless you look, and it is natural. Why the fuss?" Yusuke said dryly. "I see no shame in it, and am quite honored to be one he considers safe and trustworthy." He turned his eyes to Morgana, who still laid limp in Ryuji's arms. "He looks like I how I had envisioned him."  
  
Ann giggled as she ran a hand through the boy's hair and nodded. "I know! He's such a cutie, but he's going to be disappointed he's just a kid."  
  
"He should be grateful," Ryuji scoffed, "less responsibility. And damn, he's pretty heavy for a little kid! And my jacket, _ugh_ , I'm gonna have to wash it when I get home."  
  
All looked up as they heard footsteps, and watched as Iwai came back, a stack of children's and preteen clothes in his arms. "Wasn't sure what size to get," he said as he set the pile down, "just throw something on him and take the rest home. Kaoru says Morgana needs it more than anyone right now." There was a quick amount of fussing and grumbling among the group, and soon thereafter, Ryuji was left holding his purple jacket between his index finger and thumb as a finally-dressed Morgana slept on the chair. Iwai nodded approvingly. "That'll do for now. Go ahead and keep the pile of clothes for now." He turned his eyes back to Ren, still slumbering in Haru's arms, and shook his head. "Well, he's not going to be happy to hear I'm in the loop, but I won't talk about it. Go ahead and take him home, and tell him I said that I hope he feels better... and more human... soon."

* * *

  
For once, Morgana joined Ren in his mortification as the two covered their faces and groaned loudly. Ren regretted asking about what happened before he awoke, and found little comfort as Haru giggled and ran a brush over his back. "You're just so cute..." she gushed.  
  
"Why?" Ren moaned.


	4. Catnip

There was a bone-deep ache spreading over Ren as he stumbled on his way up to his room. Wincing, he bit back a hiss as he tripped at the top step of the stairs, and slowly stumbled his way to the bed. When he reached it, he stopped short and looked up at the cliff before him. It almost made him want to weep to expend any more energy.   
  
With a great sigh, he focused power in his hind legs and jumped forward, praying he would reach his mark. He almost slipped as he caught the side of the futon, huffed, and pushed his butt up the side as his front legs clung to the mattress. With a grunt and one last push, he was up on the bed. With another sigh, this time relieved, he reached for the comforter and pulled it over himself, burying his head in the shadow of the sheets.   
  
The day so far had been exhausting and humiliating. When he finally managed to learn to walk half-decently on four feet, he slunk away to his bedroom after eating the (unusually delicious and fragrant) fish Sojiro proffered in lieu of curry. He wasn't sure if he actually managed to sneak away without rousing the attention of the others as they fussed over Morgana, but he tried to block out the voices that seemed far too loud with his newfound senses as he shoved his face into the mattress and pushed his front paws over his ears. Unfortunately, it did little to muffle the sound of footsteps coming upstairs or the voices that followed the steps.   
  
"Oh, there he is," Haru giggled, "he must be that cat-sized lump under the sheets. I can't believe he managed to sneak away like that."  
  
"That's Joker for you," Ryuji said with a chuckle, "even as a cat, he's smooth."  
  
"Quiet down, he's probably sleeping again." Sojiro chided. "I'd guess he's exhausted. Morgana's starting to get sleepy, too."  
  
"Am not." Morgana protested, pushing back a yawn barely. "Oh well. Guess this time around, Ren gets to sleep on me. What are we gonna do about the beds though once we're both human again?"  
  
"We'll get another futon to put where the couch is now. Hope you don't mind sharing the room still." Sojiro said with a shrug. "In the meanwhile, I think I ought to set up a check-up with Doctor Takemi for you. I got a call from an old friend of mine on your case and told me that if you want to go to school, you're gonna have to be vaccinated."  
  
"More shots?" Morgana groaned. "How's Ren gonna feel about Takemi finding out about our... situation?"  
  
There was a loud, drawn-out groan from under the sheets and rustling followed by a loud huff, then silence as he flipped to face his head away from the others. Sojiro shook his head and approached the bed, gently placing a hand on the lump. "Kid..."  
  
"Go away," Ren moaned, "let me die of embarrassment in peace."  
  
"There's nothing embarrassing about it." Sojiro replied bluntly. "You did an incredibly brave thing for your friend-- our family."   
  
"Sojiro..." Morgana said quietly, eyes softening. Sojiro took a seat at the bedside, and nodded at the stairs while making eye contact with the group. The others dispersed quietly with a few looks back, save for Morgana, who slowly approached the bed and sat beside Sojiro. There was a moment's silence before Ren sighed and pushed his head out of the sheets, meeting Sojiro's eyes tiredly as he looked up. Ren grumbled.   
  
"I just..."  
  
"What, didn't want to become weirder?" Sojiro challenged. He shook his head. "Shit, Kid, you're already really weird by virtue of being the... Chosen One, I guess. That's just part of being the Trickster or whatever. Everyone that's friends with you knows that; no one minds. Not me, not your friends, not Iwai, and not Takemi."  
  
Ren looked down quietly, averting his eyes, and looked up again and nodded. "...Thanks, Sojiro."  
  
Sojiro just chuckled and reached forward. Gently, he ran a hand over Ren's soft head, and purrs rocked the young man turned cat. "Anytime. I called Takemi, and she said she was willing to see Morgana right away. I haven't fully explained the situation yet. Do you want to come with us?"  
  
"No," Ren grumbled, putting his head under the sheets again, "I'll stay here. I don't really need to be seen like this by anyone else."  
  
Sojiro paused before nodding quietly and leaving. Morgana paused and stayed behind for a moment to pull back the sheets, meeting Ren's tired eyes. The cat managed a small smile at the human, who smiled back lovingly. "Go on," Ren urged, "you need to go get your vaccines if you wanna go to school. You're gonna be a great human."  
  
"Ren..." Morgana nodded. "Thank you. So much..."  
  
With that, they left, and the others came upstairs to hang out with their feline friend for the next hour or two in peace. Makoto managed to coax Ren out from under the sheets, and they settled on watching a bad movie on his TV as they passed around snacks. Ren was denied anything with chocolate or coffee, much to his dismay, but was gifted a can of tuna that smelled unusually delicious to him. Eventually he settled on Makoto's lap, and allowed gentle stroking over his head as he finally relaxed. Several of the others reached over from time-to-time to stroke him affectionately, even Ryuji, who smiled wryly at him.  
  
Ren's ears pricked as he heard the bell over the door downstairs jingle, and heard the footsteps of several people. One entrant smelled of medicine and sanitizer, and Ren's eyes widened in horror before quickly hopping off Makoto's lap and bounding for the sheets again, shoving himself as deep as he could into the bed. He heard the footsteps draw nearer and the smell intensify.   
  
"That must be him under the sheets." Takemi said dryly. "Ren, come on out."  
  
"No."  
  
"Ren, come _on_ ," she said with a sigh, "the situation's been explained to me. I even brought you a treat. I really don't care what you are; you did a brave thing for Morgana."  
  
There was a moment's pause before a great sigh came from under the sheets, and he crawled out, ears drooping. He looked up as a wide-eyed Takemi approached the bed and looked down at him, then knelt down. The doctor cracked a smile and ran a hand over his head. "Look at you! You're adorable."  
  
"No," Ren snickered, laughing in spite of himself, "look at me! I am the darkness. I am the night!"  
  
"Hmm." Tae pinched a cheek, and he meowed, slapping her hand away as she laughed. "Well, the darkness and the night is adorable, if that's what you are. I honestly don't see why you were hiding in the first place; being able to be a cat sounds nice, actually, but I'll keep your secret."   
  
Ren's eyes flickered to Morgana, who had several colorful bandages on his arm as he held and licked a round lollipop. "It wasn't bad at all," Morgana said cheerfully, "a few pinches and tests for my first taste of sugar. Did you know cats don't detect sugar?" He let out a blissful sigh. "I had no idea this realm of taste was so  _amazing._  Being a human is even better than I dreamed!"  
  
"That's his third pop," Sojiro said with a sigh, "slow down, kid. You're gonna overdo it on the sugar."  
  
"A few candies won't hurt him, here and there." Makoto said with a shrug. Ann nodded and grinned.  
  
"Lollipops are just the tip of the iceberg! I can't wait to take you to all my favorite dessert places, Morgana! You're in for a world of sweets!"  
  
Morgana's eyes widened, and he giggled and nodded and blushed. "Y- yeah, I'd l- love to experience all of that with you, Lady Ann!"  
  
"Anyways," Tae said, looking over Ren, "I'm no vet, but I think you should see one in your cat form and get vaccinated, too, in case this makes you prone to diseases cats are prone to."  
  
Ren groaned. "Seriously?"  
  
"Seriously." Tae shrugged. "Morgana was very brave for me, and you should be, too. Now, then, for you..." She pulled a small bag of something green and dry out of her pocket and opened it, and the smell-- so tantalizing, so hypnotic, infiltrated Ren's nose, and his pupils dilated. He reached for it, shoving his paw in the bag, and pulled out his paw, covered in the dried greens, to sniff, then lick it. It almost made him moan like Morgana did over the taste of sugar.  
  
"What is thi..." Ren wasn't sure what came over him, but he yanked the bag from Takemi and huffed in the scent deeply as he felt every muscle relax and every care in the world slip away. He was only faintly aware of Ryuji laughing hysterically as he laid in the catnip, eyes dreamily looking at the ceiling, where his glow-in-the-dark stars glittered at him. He tried to reach up for them, but only managed to slip and fall off the side of the bed with a  _whump._ Somehow he didn't even care about this, either, as someone picked him up and cradled him.   
  
"Ren, please stop drooling-- please stop licking my hands." Makoto's faint voice came.   
  
"Oh my God, he's purring so loudly." Ann giggled.   
  
"Oh, jeez... why'd you go and give him drugs?" Sojiro groused. Tae shrugged.  
  
"Curiosity and abuse of power."  
  
"Never before have I seen such ecstasy," Yusuke murmured, "it is...  _beautiful._ I must get my sketchbook."  
  
"He's high, Inari! You're seeing someone who's high!" Futaba snickered. "Ren! What did you learn about doing drugs?"  
  
"He's so cute!" Haru giggled. "He looks so happy!"  
  
Then, as quickly as it started did it seem to fade just as quickly, leaving Ren blinking in confusion as he reached a paw up to wipe off the drool on the side of his face. He cringed as he heard Ryuji choking with laughter as he keeled over, and saw the mixed looks from the others-- fascination from Yusuke and Tae, snickering from Futaba, mild disturbance from Sojiro, Makoto, and Morgana, and bit-back squealing and giggling from Ann and Haru. Ren groaned, shaking his head. "What happened?"  
  
"You snorted yourself into another realm of existence, my dude," Ryuji wheezed, "you were so effin' high, oh my god, do it again!"  
  
Ren pushed himself out of Makoto's arms and bounded for the sheets again. There was a moment's pause before he reached out from under the sheets and quietly dragged the bag of catnip under, and softly meowed as he pulled the sheets down. There was quiet snickering from the others until Sojiro cleared his throat.  
  
"About that vet visit-- I made an appointment for you in an hour. We should leave in about half an hour, so don't get too cozy under there with your cat marijuana."  
  
The response he garnered was a loud meow of disdain, then a huff, then quiet purring. No one dared disturb him for the next half hour, and Ren had to be dragged out in spite of his whining when the time came to leave. Morgana smiled at him as he laid limp in Sojiro's arms and held up his lollipop.   
  
"It's not so bad, Ren. They'll give you treats at the vet, too!"  
  
"Not the treats I want." Ren grumbled as he buried his face in Sojiro's arm.  _The day's still dragging on for far too long..._


	5. Morning Comes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Proofreading? What's that?
> 
> At last, the fic is done. I'm hoping to open a new one-shot gallery to tie into this fic to make a series of the (mis)adventures that occur after this fic. Until then, thanks for being so patient, and thanks for reading.

While Morgana had offered to come with Sojiro and Ren to the vet, he continued to yawn and rub his eyes, and was persuaded to return to Ren's room and sleep on the futon. The others finally departed after promising to come back the next morning, and Ren was patted by each one affectionately. He purred, much to his continued humiliation, but all just smiled or snickered at most. Ren himself was quite fatigued as he was rattled around in the carrier crate Sojiro told him to sit in to make himself look natural.  
  
"Okay," Ren spoke up from the crate in the car seat, "so the plan to test if anyone else can hear me is for you to hold your phone out like it's on speakerphone, I'll talk, and we'll see if anyone reacts."  
  
"Got it." Sojiro said distractedly as he drove. They reached the vet's office, and after checking in, Sojiro sat, staring down at the cat carrier as they waited to be called in. Ren nervously watched as dogs outside the crate sniffed at him and wagged their tails, and he turned his attention to Sojiro, who held his phone up and nodded.  
  
"Can you hear me?" Ren spoke up. "My signal is bad. Where are you?"  
  
A chuckle escaped a blonde woman a few seats down with a rambunctious fawn boxer, who was eagerly sniffing at Ren. "He's vocal, isn't he? His meows are so cute!"  
  
Ren wasn't sure whether or not to deflate at the fact the stranger could not understand him, so he settled for sighing and putting his head down after meeting Sojiro's bemused eyes as the man put away his phone. "Figures I just sound like a meowing cat to anyone who doesn't know it's me." Ren said with a sigh, not expecting a response from Sojiro, who shrugged.   
  
Eventually, they were brought into the office. Sojiro calmly lied about the seemingly new cat's age, Ren received his shots, and voluntarily went back into the crate, much to the vet's amusement. "Is that a safe place for him?" she questioned, and Sojiro shrugged. "Anyways," she continued, "I understand this is your second tomcat in your house. We really should consider neutering one or the other or ideally both, because this may cause behavioral issues to increase such as marking territory or--"  
  
"Sojiro,  _please._ " Ren moaned, pained as he ducked his head under his paws. " _No._ "  
  
Sojiro politely refused, paid, and left with Ren, who he placed in the crate in the back seat again, much to his dismay. "You know, I understand why you did it on the way  _to_  the vet's office," Ren protested, "but really? We're just going home. Can't I come out?"  
  
"No can do, kid," Sojiro said as he took his seat in the front, "you're stuck like that until tomorrow, and that's the safer place for you if we get in an accident. It's sort of like why babies and toddlers are put in those special seats."  
  
"Morgana rode in my lap on the way to my hometown in March." he pointed out in protest.  
  
"Yeah, and he really shouldn't have done that for safety reasons." Sojiro said bluntly. "You're staying in there."  
  
Finally, they pulled into Yongen, and Sojiro carried Ren back to Leblanc in the cat carrier. Ren found it strange, seeing the world from a rocking carrier, and he looked out through the gate, seeing the neighborhood on a level he wasn't used to. He was silent on the way to the cafe, and flinched a little as Sojiro proceeded inside and went up the stairs. As soon as he spied the inside of his room, his eyes focused on his bed, where Morgana lay, sleeping soundly, under his sheets. Sojiro was making his way to the bed when Ren spoke.  
  
"Wait." he whispered, stopping Sojiro. "Drop me off on the couch. I don't want to wake him up."  
  
"It's only about seven, kid," Sojiro whispered back, "he'll have time to go back to sleep, and he'll probably wake up soon anyways."  
  
"Doesn't matter," Ren replied, "we both need our rest. I'll be fine on the couch. I promise." He sighed. "Besides, I'm already uncomfortably hot as it in this form. I don't want to be pressed up against him or under the sheets."  
  
Sojiro shrugged and obeyed his request, setting the carrier down on the couch instead and opening the door, allowing Ren to trot out and onto the cushion. He wasn't sure what came over him, but Ren, on a whim, patted his spot on the couch with his feet and circled before settling himself down, putting his head down and his legs to the sides of his body. Sojiro let out a soft snort at the sight, prompting Ren to look up and give him a glare, which Sojiro responded to by reaching out and stroking Ren's head and scratching behind an ear. Ren purred and set his head back down, looking up at Sojiro warmly.  
  
"Thanks." he whispered. His guardian nodded.  
  
"You're welcome. I'm going to go home and come back at nine to check on you two and maybe get you some dinner. You take it easy until then, alright?"  
  
"Okay. Later, Sojiro."   
  
With that, Sojiro left, and Ren was left to himself. The only sound after Sojiro left was the sound of Morgana's soft breathing as he slept. Ren laid, quietly, as his eyes went down to his paws. After a moment, he closed his eyes and allowed himself to think, to feel his new body.   
  
For the first time, he felt... okay. Not totally comfortable with it, perhaps, but livable.  
  
He lifted his head and turned to look over at Morgana, who smiled in his very peaceful sleep. Ren's ears twitched, and softly, he smiled, too, before settling his head down for a nap.  
  
_... I'm glad I did this.  
_

* * *

  
Sojiro had dropped by that night and fed the two, but almost immediately they went to sleep again, the toil on their bodies from the day dragging them back to sleep. When Ren awoke the next morning, bright and early as he was used to, he looked over to Morgana in his bed-- who was wide awake and watching him. The former cat had awakened, and was watching Ren sleep quietly. After Sojiro had roused them for dinner, Morgana had offered for Ren to join him on the bed, but Ren declined, citing being too hot in his cat form. While a little disappointed, Mona fully understood. On the flip side, once used to the heat, Morgana was left surprisingly cold at night, even with the early summer warming up the city.   
  
When he had awoken first just as dawn began to crack through the window to beckon them to life, he found himself watching Ren sleep on the couch, curled up into a very fluffy ball of fur. He almost had to restrain himself from giggling at the sight, and he thought on how Ren must have been greeted with a similar sight on a regular basis. Suddenly, he understood very well why he was called cute by so many, no matter how much he denied it-- it  _was_ cute. He could no longer fault any of the cooing or  _oohing_  or  _aahing_  he got from either Ren or his friends or the students at Ren's school.  
  
_... Now that I'm human, and going to go to human school, I can't hang out in his desk with him all day..._  
  
Morgana shuddered and shook his head.  
  
_No. I chose this. This is being human, and Ren will be okay without me._  
  
Quickly he decided he would never bring that train of thought up. He didn't want to underscore the great deed Ren had done for him; he couldn't thank him enough as it was. Morgana stared at him for he wasn't sure how much longer when Ren lifted his head and yawned, exposing a pink tongue and mouth and two small, sharp fangs. For a moment, Morgana was tempted to hurry over and stick a tongue in his mouth before he closed it, as Ren and the others had so often pranked him in that way, but he elected to stay in place and smile warmly as Ren looked over and smiled as well. The cat rolled over on his back and purred.  
  
"Morning, Morgana." he said, groggy and warmly all at once. Morgana giggled.  
  
"Morning to you, too. How do you feel?"  
  
"Better. And you?"  
  
Mona nodded. "Better. Just a few more hours, and you can join me as a human." He nodded. "Then we'll both be human, and we'll be human roommates, and the others said they'd take me shopping for a futon and dresser to keep up here. We'll be roommates."  
  
"We always _have_  been roommates," Ren said wryly, "just different species. Now we're the same species. It's not a big difference, except for the fact you'll have a bigger bed."  
  
Morgana laughed. "I guess you're right. Let's go eat and then hang out until the effect wears off."  
  
"Let's."

* * *

  
At some point, Morgana had fallen asleep again, and Ren was left watching his TV when it hit.   
  
A surge of power arose from his heart, from where his Personas were still nestled, and he gasped as it struck. For a moment, he sat in shock as the surge settled down into a strange feeling in his soul, emanating from his heart and mind-- a sensation that somewhat reminded him of what it felt like for about the first week after he Awakened to his Persona before settling into the most natural feeling power in the world. Instinctively, he knew what it was. This time, it was a little different, but he knew just as well as he knew his Personas.  
  
And he knew how to reach for it.  
  
He let out a shaky breath in anticipation, and hesitantly, he reached inward and grasped at the power. In an instant, his body went numb again, and he was left momentarily paralyzed as the transformation came and washed over his body. It stopped as soon as it started, and when he opened his eyes, he was viewing his room from the height of a human again, once he sat up, although an irritating itching sensation plagued his skin. Ren looked down, seeing himself very human and very much naked. He patted over his body in disbelief before he held his hands out in front of him and experimentally wiggled his very human fingers. He winced and scratched himself ruefully, grimacing as the itch had slowly begun to fade, but was present enough and steady enough to irritate him.  
  
He jumped as he heard the bell over the door downstairs jingle, and heard Ann's cheery voice come. "Morning!" she greeted loudly. "We're coming up, Ren!"  
  
"Don't come up!" Ren cried as Morgana moaned and began to rouse, "I'm not decent!  _Shit!"_  
  
"You turned back already?" Ryuji's voice came, surprised. Yusuke scoffed.  
  
"Why else would he say he's not decent? This society has too much stigma on perfectly natural nudity."  
  
Futaba giggled. "No worries, Ren! We've already all seen your--"  
  
_"IT WAS ONE TIME AND I WAS UNCONSCIOUS!"_ Ren protested, and Haru shrugged.  
  
"It was a few times, actually."  
  
Morgana sat up and looked over at Ren before yelping and averting his gaze. The human boy raised a hand to his chest and shuddered. "This feels weird, but... I know if I reach for it, I can turn back to my other form. You felt it, too, didn't you?" Ren nodded, and Morgana shuddered. "The more I'm trying to ignore it, it's... becoming more of a pressure."  
  
"Huh." Ren winced and scratched his skin. "And I'm sort of itchy, but it's starting to fade... slowly."  
  
"I guess it'll take some time to adjust, then." Morgana said with a sigh. "Go get dressed and go downstairs. I'll be down there in a few minutes."  
  
Ren nodded and stood, quickly dressed himself, and hurried downstairs, where he continued to itch without really realizing it. "Morning." he greeted, and his friends beamed and surrounded him. Most took a turn to hug him and chatter proudly about it, though when Futaba reached him, she playfully pouted and shoved his arm gently.  
  
"Back to normal!" Futaba groaned. "Sorta disappointed. You're cuter as the cat."  
  
"But more helpful as a human." Sojiro said dryly from behind the bar, where the smell of coffee emanated alongside the odor of curry-- stronger than before, it seemed, but not nearly as overwhelming as it had once been. Haru shrugged.  
  
"Debatable on both counts." she giggled, though she frowned as Ren continued to itch, and the others caught on, giving their friend strange looks.  
  
"Glad you're back to normal, dude, but... why're you itching so much?" Ryuji questioned in befuddlement. Makoto followed up by swatting Ren's hands away from his skin.   
  
"Stop that. You're going to make yourself bleed."  
  
"Sorry, but I'm itchy as hell." Ren groaned. "It's starting to fade, but for some reason, changing back makes my skin itch."  
  
"Then come and sit and drink your coffee." Sojiro ordered, pushing a mug on the bar with a plate of curry. "Try to distract yourself; I don't want you hurting yourself. How are you feeling otherwise?"  
  
"Fine... I guess." Ren's nose wrinkled. "It feels... kind of like how I felt when I first got my Persona."  
  
"I have no idea how that feels."  
  
"It's a... unique sensation." Yusuke said calmly, joining Ren's side as Sojiro pushed the eternally hungry man a plate of food. "All of us experienced it for the first few days following Awakening, when we weren't quite used to the presence of our Personas. It's... difficult to describe. It's power, raw power, packed in our hearts-- and it begs to be let out. We can still feel it, feel our Personas, if we reach and look for them, but it's not a feeling of discomfort-- rather, one of certainty. It's perhaps impossible to understand unless you've felt it yourself, but what I'm understanding is..." Ren's cheeks flushed as Yusuke nodded. "Yes. You feel an impulse to change, don't you? You feel your new power brimming under the surface."  
  
"I'm not going to." Ren grumbled. "I don't want to be a cat again. It's just a stupid bodily impulse that will pass when I get used to it."  
  
"Are you sure, Ren-kun?" Haru questioned. "It may help you adjust to change back and forth, help you get used to it."  
  
"I agree." Makoto added. "Whether or not you like it, this is a permanent part of you, and you should embrace it. I remember that summoning my Persona a few times seemed to help me when I was adjusting to my new power-- maybe it's the same for this."  
  
Ren was about to make a retort when he heard footsteps plodding against the stairs, and Morgana, still human, was present, albeit with a constipated facial expression. Ryuji frowned. "What's with you?"  
  
"Nothing." he huffed defensively.  
  
"You're uncomfortable, too, aren't you?" Ann pressed. Morgana gave her a wide-eyed stare, frowned, and sighed.  
  
"You know me too well, Lady Ann. You don't need to be worried, though; I will endure."  
  
"Okay, enough." Makoto snapped, hands on her hips. "The both of you are going to transform a few times upstairs to adjust before we go shopping today." At the boys' groans in unison, she dished out a hard, red Niijima glare, shutting both up immediately. The two shared a cringing look, and sighed, heavily, in unison, but a moment after Morgana sat beside Ren and was served a cup of coffee and a plate of curry with a smile from Sojiro, the two smiled at each other.  
  
As soon as breakfast was done, the two went upstairs, and the sound of grunting and groaning came for the new few minutes, but the two came down, both red in the face but no longer itching or twitching. Ann beamed. "See? Don't you both feel better?" The two nodded sheepishly, and Haru walked forward, squeezed them both affectionately, one in each arm, and grinned.  
  
"Both of our werecats look adorable, happy, and healthy!" she said cheerfully, ignoring the cringing wince from both boys. "All's well that ends well!"  
  
"Indeed," Yusuke said, smiling, holding his fingers out and framing the group, "now, I'll have to use a specific canvas to capture this--"  
  
"Easy," Ryuji groaned, approaching Morgana and Ren, smiling softly, "you guys have been through a lot. How's about we go out and get Mona the stuff he needs and get some Big Bang Burger after, eh?" He patted their shoulders, and the boys smiled brightly.  
  
"Yeah!" Morgana said cheerfully, hurrying toward the door and looking back at the team with a giddy smile. "Okay, so, we need a dresser, a futon, some new clothes, and--"  
  
"We'll get it all, don't worry, Mona-chan." Haru reassured, ruffling the boy's hair as she approached the door and held it open. "Let's go!"  
  
The others hurried to the door, chatting excitedly, while Ren trailed after. His eyes met Sojiro's, and the man nodded his head in approval. Ren smiled and hurried after the others, the loud, excited group practically running for the place where Makoto had parked the van they would be using to transport everything Mona needed. The excited chatter didn't slow down as Makoto began to drive, though Ren stopped quietly as his phone buzzed, and he opened it to see a few new messages.  
_  
**Iwai:**  You got fingers again yet?  
  
**Ren:**  Yeah, why?  
  
**Iwai:**  Let me give you some advice, kid.  
  
**Iwai:**  Stop doing weird supernatural shit._  
  
Ren lifted a brow.  
  
_**Ren:**  I can't.  
  
**Iwai:**  Figures.  
**  
Iwai:** Next time, just give me a warning before you do weird shit near my shop, okay?  
  
**Iwai:** Also, don't come walking in as a cat. Or turn into a cat in my store. Shit's weird.  
  
**Iwai:**  We will never speak of this again.  
_  
After that conversation, his phone buzzed again, and he saw a message, this time from Tae.  
  
**T _ae:_** _How are you today, guinea pig?_  
  
_**Ren:**  Human._  
  
_**Tae:** That's disappointing. You're cuter as a cat._  
  
_**Ren:**  Cold shit, Takemi-san.  
_  
_**Tae:**  I'm just saying. Anyways, I'll be expecting you in the evening for a check-up, just to make sure everything's still in operation._  
  
_**Tae:**  Morgana was perfectly healthy, but he displayed a slightly elevated body temperature-- possibly because of his ability to be a cat-- and heightened responses to stimuli. I'm expecting the same is true of you, and I can't wait to find out._  
  
_**Tae:**  See you at 6 pm?_  
  
_**Ren:** I'll be there._  
  
_**Tae:**  Good kitty._  
  
_**Ren:**_ TAE  
  
_**Tae:** See you later, guinea pig. Cat. Whatever._  
  
"Ren?" Makoto questioned, and Ren snapped out of his trance and flushed as he realized the van had gone silent and its inhabitants had begun to stare at him, his nose having wrinkled at his screen. "Are you alright?"  
  
"Do you feel like you need to transform again? We can pull over." Ann questioned. Ren shook his head as he slipped the phone back into his pocket and smiled reassuringly.   
  
"No, I'm fine. Just... adjusting to my new situation." He grinned at Mona in the seat next to him. "But we got this, right? You're gonna be an amazing human."  
  
Mona beamed a bright, human smile. "All thanks to you, Ren!"  
  
As the car descended back into excited chatters, Ren leaned his head back and crossed his arms. The pulse of energy, now settling into a known, relaxed sensation in his heart, warmed him as he internally brushed against it, shivering as he resisted an urge to shift into cat form. As the moment passed and he was left to think on what would come next, he was snapped out of his train of thoughts when the car came to a stop, and the excited teens hurried out, fussing over Mona, as Ren watched. Finally, Ren smiled and got out, speeding ahead to lead the group as he always had.  
  
He wasn't sure what would come next or how his life would unfold with his new power, but as he walked with his beaming friends, he knew whatever came-- it would all be fine, especially as he gazed at an ecstatic Morgana. His human roommate, his human brother.  _Brother._ The strange sensation settled as his heart did at the thought. Morgana, too, felt the urge settle as his friends helped him shop, as he watched them lift a futon and a heavy wooden dresser to the van. He caught a strange, soft look from Ren, who jumped and smiled awkwardly. Somehow, Mona understood, and smiled back.  
  
Cat or human, they were family, and they would stand together.


End file.
